Cold-tire-shrinking machine.



No. 805,798. PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905. S. N. HOUSE.

COLD TIRE SHRINKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24,1905.

5 a 155. i 1;1w*! H a y E J 6" 62 w 9 r J SAMUEL NELSON HOUSE, OF ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COLD-TIRE-SHRINKING' MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28 1905.

Application filed June 24, 1905. Serial No. 266,779.

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL NELSON House, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of' St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,

. have invented certain new and useful Improvewheels while they are in acold condition, the' present invention being in the nature of animprovement upon the machine for which Letters Patents of the UnitedStates No. 690,523, dated January 7, 1902, and No. 791,693, dated June6, 1905, were issued.

Figure I is a top or plan view of my machine. Fig. II is a view partlyin longitudinal vertical section and partly in elevation. Fig. III is aview, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, of thewheel-receiving end of my machine. Fig. IV is a side elevation of thewheel-receiving end of the machine. Fig. V is a transverse section takenon line V V, Fig. I. Fig. VI is a perspective view of one of thegripping-wedges used in the machine in inverted position.

A designates the foundation upon which my machineis mounted.

B designates the frame of the machine, which consists of side walls 1, atransverse'bed member 2, and a transverse shelf 3, all of said partsbeing made in the form of an integral casting, thereby rendering them ofmuch greater united strength and stability. At the upper side of the bedmember 2 are flanges 2, extending longitudinally of the frame and havingtheir inner faces tapered, thereby furnishing a V-shaped recess betweenthe flanges, the

, width of which increases inwardly from the outer end of the bedmember. Upon the upper side of the bed member 2 and within said recessare ribs 2", spaced spart from the flanges 2 for the purpose offurnishing grooves 2 between the flanges and ribs, as seen in Figs.

I and V.

4 designates a reciprocating block that rests upon the shelf 3 of theframe B and upon ledges l, projecting from the inner faces of the frameside walls 1. This reciprocating block opposes the bed member 2 and isarranged for movement toward and away from saidbed member. At the upperside of the block 1 are inclined side flanges 5, that are separated toprovide a recess of V shape between them, the wider end of which facesthe recess in the bed member 2. In the recess in said block are ribs 6,spaced apart from the side flanges 5 to provide for the presence ofgrooves 7- between the flanges and ribs. The block 4 is normally heldspaced apart from the bed member 2 by an expansion-spring 8, the ends ofwhich are seated in lugs 2 and 1', projecting, respectively, from thebed member and reciprocating block.

10 is a bridge-plate spanning the space between the bed member andreciprocating block, and 11 represents adjustment-plates, these partsbeing located between the ribs 2 and 6 of the bed member andreciprocating block and serving as a rest for the wheel-tire which is tobe shrunk. The bridge and ad justing plates are located beneath thetire-gripping wedges, which surmount the bed member 2 and reciprocatingblock 1 and by which the wheel-tire is engaged to be drawn upon inopposite directions upon the reciprocation of the block 4 toward the bedmember. My present invention relates in part to an improvement in thesegripping-wedges, as will hereinafter appear.

12 designates a power-lever through the medium of which thereciprocating block 4 is forced toward the bed member 2. This powerleveris provided at its forward end with a head 13, which is journaled in theframe of the machine by means of trunnions 14., cast integral therewithand seated in the frame side walls 1. By casting the trunnions integralwith the head of the lever I provide journals of much greater strengthfor the power-lever, which must withstand great strain in the actuationof the reciprocating block when the tire is being shrunk. To permit ofthe head of the power-lever, with the trunnions cast integral therewith,being introduced into the solid frame of the machine, I make one of thetrunnion-openings in the frame side walls of considerably greaterdiameter than the diameter of the trunnion that is to fit therein.Provision is thereby made for the ready introduction of the trunnionsinto their openings, the trunnion last introduced being that which restsin the opening of the largest dimension. The larger trunnion-receivingopening is closed after the trunnions have been seated in the frame by abearing-block 15, that is shaped to fit the portion of the openingunoccupied by the trunnion therein. The power-lever 12 is actuated by alever 16, that is geared thereto in the manner described in LettersPatent N o. 7 91,693, hereinbeforc mentioned.

17 designates a wear-plate (see Figs. II and III) that is placed againstthe rear end of the reciprocating block 4: and interposed between saidblock and the nose of the head of the power-lever 12. This wear-plate,which is loosely seated between said members, receives the directbearing of the nose of the powerlever in order that said lever mayoperate thereagainst instead of against the reciprocating block. In suchposition the wear-plate serves to relieve the reciprocating block ofwear by the power-lever. The wear-plate being independent of thereciprocating block and detachably fitted thereto may be replaced by afresh and like plate when it becomes worn and unfit for further service.

18 designates take-up strips (see Figs. III and IV) which are interposedbetween the reciprocating block and wear-plate 11, these strips beingdesigned to be introduced into the position stated by passing themthrough openings in the side walls of the machineframe after thepower-lever has been actuated to force the reciprocating block forwardlyin the tire-shrinking action and previous to the next operation of thelever to force the reciprocating block farther forward in continuing theshrinking action. These take-up strips being located between thereciprocating block and the wear-plate 17 are entirely relieved of weardue to the use of said wear-plate in the position stated.

19 designates the tire-gripping wedges hereinbefore alluded to. whichare seated in the bed member 2 and the reciprocating block 4:. Thesegripping-wedges are in the main of similar form to those shown anddescribed in my patents hereinbefore mentioned, each wedge beingprovided with a serrated tire-engaging edge 20. It has been found bylong-continued practical use of my machine that these wedges as shownand described in the previous patents become rounded at the lower edgesof their outer sides, which contact with the members by which the wedgesare supported, and that as a result of their becoming so rounded thewedges rock in their seats when outward pressure is exerted thereagainstin pulling the" tire to shrink it. This has resulted in thegripping-wedges kicking out of the bed member and reciprocating block,an action that it is obviously desirable to overcome. For the purpose ofovercoming this action I provide each gripping-Wedge with a rib 21,located at its bottom and adjacent to its outer side. (See Figs. VandVI.) These ribs extend below the main lower faces of the gripping-wedgesand operate in the grooves 2 and 7 in the bed member and rewith fittingin openings in the sides of said frame. one of which is of greaterdimensions than the dimenslon of the trunnion it receives, and abearing-block removably seated in the larger of said openings,substantially as set forth.

2. A gripping-wedge for tire-shrinking machines provided with ariblocated at its lower 1 side, substantially as and for the pupose setforth. 7

3. In a tire-shrinking machine, the combination of a frame having'a bedmember provided with ribs and grooves, a reciprocating block opposingthe said bed member and provided with ribs and grooves, gripping-wedgesresting upon said bed member. and reciprocating-block ribs; saidgrippingwedges being provided at theirlower sides with ribs ar-' rangedto operate in the grooves of said bed member and reciprocating block,substantially as set forth.

SAMUEL NELSON HOUSE. In presence of N ELLIE V. ALEXANDER, BLANCHE HOGAN.

